US Department of Homeland Security Selects Stevens Institute of Technology to Lead National Research Effort in Port Security

by via PRNewswire On Mar 3, 2008

Stevens is one of 11 universities to partner with DHS; will lead port security research and education in one of five new Centers of Excellence

HOBOKEN, N.J., March 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The US Department of Homeland Security has announced the selection of Stevens Institute of Technology as one of 11 universities to serve as important partners for conducting multi-disciplinary research and creating innovative learning environments for critical homeland security missions. These universities will partner to lead one of five new Centers of Excellence and each will receive a multi-year grant of up to $2 million per year, over a period of four to six years.

The five new Centers of Excellence, located across the country, will study border security and immigration; explosives detection, mitigation, and response; maritime, island and port security; natural disasters, coastal infrastructure and emergency management; and transportation security.

Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., and The University of Hawaii in Honolulu , Hawaii, will co-lead a new Center of Excellence for Maritime, Island and Port Security, responsible for conducting research and developing new ways to strengthen maritime domain awareness and safeguard populations and properties unique to US islands, and remote and extreme environments. Stevens will lead research and education in port security and the University of Hawaii will lead research and education for maritime and island security.

"Congratulations to the Dean of Engineering & Science Michael S. Bruno and the entire team at Stevens who have achieved this recognition, and who will make significant contributions to research that will benefit the nation's maritime and port security infrastructure," said Stevens' Provost & University Vice President George P. Korfiatis . "This recognition is the result of a highly selective national competition among research universities. Stevens' long history of maritime engineering and pre-eminence in the realm of port and harbor security will guarantee for years to come a steady flow of technology advances of national significance as part of the DHS program."

"Investments in long-term, basic research are vital for the future of homeland security," said Jay M. Cohen, Under Secretary for Science and Technology. "These colleges and universities are leaders in their fields of study. They will provide scientific expertise, high-quality resources, and independent thought -- all valuable to securing America."

The winning proposal led by Stevens involves other universities including Rutgers University, the University of Miami , MIT, the University of Alaska, and the University of Puerto Rico .

"We look forward to initiating a range of leading-edge research projects to address the complex security issues facing our nation's ports and Marine Transportation System (MTS)," said Dr. Bruno . "Together with our partners, we will break new ground in the integrated use of multi-scale sensors and computer simulation and forecasting models to equip our port security and first-responder communities with the technologies and processes needed to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the MTS, which is responsible for the vast majority of the nation's international commerce. True to the Stevens tradition, we will weave these research activities into our education and professional training programs, to ensure that our students are equipped to contribute immediately to the solutions to these very complex problems."

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Founded in 1870, Stevens Institute of Technology is one of the leading technological universities in the world dedicated to learning and research. Through its broad-based curricula, nurturing of creative inventiveness, and cross disciplinary research, the Institute is at the forefront of global challenges in engineering, science, and technology management. Partnerships and collaboration between, and among, business, industry, government and other universities contribute to the enriched environment of the Institute. A new model for nurturing technology in academe, known as Technogenesis(R), involves external partners in launching business enterprises to create broad opportunities and shared value. Stevens offers baccalaureates, master's and doctoral degrees in engineering, science, computer science and management, in addition to a baccalaureate degree in the humanities and liberal arts, and in business and technology. The university has a total enrollment of 2,040 undergraduate and 3,200 graduate students, with about 250 full-time faculty. Stevens' graduate programs have attracted international participation from China , India , Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America. Additional information may be obtained from its web page at http://www.stevens.edu.